Garbage in, garbage out!

You often hear the phrase “garbage in, garbage out” in reference to computer programming or occasionally in a nutritional context as in “you are what you eat”.

I think the phrase can also relate to the information we allow to enter our mind. (Caution, it's soapbox time!)I love escaping through mindless entertainment as much as the next guy (Archer anyone?), but it needs to be balanced with quality inspirational/educational material in at least an equal share in my opinion.

Are we too busy “Keeping up with the Kardashians” to read or watch material which will enrich our lives with knowledge, or inspire us to take action? Are we learning from someone who actually has something worthwhile to teach us?

Are we comparing our lives to someone whose life is worth emulating? Are our heroes doing truly “heroic” things? I think of my Father, who is and always will be a primary hero of mine. Growing up, his hero was Winston Churchill. As a parent, I worry about the types of heroes my children’s generation have to emulate. There are incredible people doing great things every day; however the media coverage of these people is often non-existent vs. extensive coverage for people famous for being famous. There is clearly something wrong with the message this sends to the youngest and/or most impressionable of us!